Shalom everybody.
For those gentiles who aren't aware, today marks the beginning of Passover.
Passover is a Jewish holiday celebrating God's sparing of the Hebrews when he killed the first born of Egypt.
So how does a Catholic person like myself know today is the start of Passover?
No, it's not because I have a 365 puppies-a-year calendar, displaying all the major holidays. Instead, it's because I take religious studies courses at Auburn ---specifically a class focused on the Hebrew Bible.
Taking these courses have opened my understanding of religions other than my own. I've learned about Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and even Zoroastrianism.
(No, Zoroastrianism is not a strange spin off of Scientology worshiping Antonio Banderas.)
Along with learning about the traditions of the major world religions, I've also learned the power of religion.
The power of religion can be a tool for good, but it can also be negative and alienating.
As someone from the West Coast, I never fully understood the craze behind prayer in the classroom.
Religion isn't in the forefront of life in California, but in the South, your church life is your life.
This can be a fantastic thing. Taking every step cogniscent you are in the judgement of God can make anyone stand up straight and do the right thing.
But this lifestyle, so prevalent in the Bible Belt, can be disastrous for those who don't follow the same God, or any God at all.
For all that religion can do to bring people together, it does the same, if not more, to push them apart.
Never is this segregation and alienation more prevalent than in school prayer.
Adults can be trusted, somewhat, to understand differences in others, but children cannot.
Kids will be kids.
Kids are snot-nosed buggers as it is, but throw the idea of God in their heads and we're off to the races.
Children are mean.
Let's not let the helpless looks, adorable lisps and overall awkwardness of adolescence fool us -- they can be mean.
Any person with the smallest thing perceived as being different will without fail be heckled and ridiculed until tears start flowing.
Chances are, if you don't remember receiving the heckling, you were the one dishing it out like Perez Hilton getting a hold of the paint brush in Photoshop.
It's what kids do, and for adults to expect them to be able to handle faith is ridiculous.
If children can make fun of out-of-date clothing, how can they be trusted with the idea of a funny God?
It's bad enough kids giggle at the idea of a rotund Buddha in relation to Buddhism and Hinduism.
Buddha isn't just some funny, jovial looking person; he is a religious figurehead.
Imagine if all of the sudden kids started to find Jesus' beard hysterical. Do you think a priest or minister would allow anyone to laugh at the sight of the son of God? Lightning might strike the ground and fire would reign down from the heavens.
Why? Because religion isn't funny.
While I'd like to see the day where we can all laugh at anything, today is not that day.
Adults may grasp the idea of comedy and how to take it with a grain of salt, but children do not.
If prayer and Bible study were allowed in public schools, then the rights of our children would be annihilated.
The right to an education is held in the highest of esteem in our country, and by allowing religion into our schools, it would deteriorate its quality.
Because diversity is still a pipe dream, especially in the South (once again), anyone who is not a Christian would be the subject of ridicule I wouldn't wish on anyone.
An Indian girl will be made fun of for having a red dot on her forehead and believing in rebirth.
A Middle Eastern boy will be heckled for being a terrorist, when in fact Islam is a religion of tolerance and peace.
God bless the Mormon child, because he or she has no shot at being left alone.
The Scientologist child will have Tom Cruise jokes thrown at him nonstop, and no one wants that.
Sure, joking about Tom Cruise can be funny, but making fun of someone for their faith is wrong.
Prayer in schools will inevitably divide children and provide yet another difference for kids to pick on.
If we want our kids to have faith, then teach them at home and in their place of worship.
A school is a place for learning, not praying to learn.
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